"Daddy, Daddy, I believe you!"
"My boy, my boy, my boy! Go now, my own boy, go and wash and get dressed; and don't let Mamma notice anything, will you?"
No, he would not let her see; and he would have a good wash, in cold water, wash his throbbing temples and his smarting eyes.
"Those damned people! Those damned people!" said Van der Welcke, cursing and clenching his fists.
Constance, downstairs, ready dressed, was waiting for them, a little put out because Addie had come home so late, because he had fought with Jaap, because he had refused to eat.
"Here I am, Mamma."
There was nothing to show what he had been through: he looked fresh and serious in his new blue suit; his voice was soft and propitiatory. Her face lit up at once:
"Tell me now, Addie, why you fought with Jaap."
"Oh, a boys' quarrel, Mamma, about nothing, really, about nothing at all! Jaap was tormenting a cat; and I can't stand that. Give me a kiss, Mamma."
He kissed his mother very earnestly, embraced her in his clutching arms. He would have forgiven her everything, if it had been really so, if he had been the son of an Italian; but it would have been an everlasting grief to him if he had not been his father's son....